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Welcome to ForUM, the e-newsletter for University of Montana staff, faculty and administrators. ForUM is published weekly during the academic year except during scheduled academic breaks.

"The President's Update," a video series for UM President Royce Engstrom to communicate with the campus community, is available on the President's Office website and on the official UM YouTube channel.

UM to Inaugurate President Engstrom   UM will host inauguration ceremonies for its 17th president, Royce C. Engstrom, on Monday, May 2. The theme is "Building a University for a Global Century." The Installation Ceremony will be held at 10:15 a.m. in the University Theatre. The event will include a processional, music, brief addresses by visiting delegates and members of the campus community, and remarks by Engstrom. "This inauguration is an opportunity to celebrate the promise of a new era for The University of Montana. It is a time for all of our UM campuses to think about the paths to excellence in the coming years and decades," said Engstrom, who became UM president in October. A luncheon will be held at noon outdoors on the Oval or inside the Adams Center in case of inclement weather. It will be followed by forums addressing the inauguration theme. A student forum will take place at 1:45 p.m. in the University Center Theater, followed by a visiting delegate and faculty forum at 3:30 p.m. in the same venue. Meanwhile, student exhibits and performances will be featured in the UC Atrium. Read the Full News Release

Harvard Philosopher to Speak About Morality   Renowned expert on morality Amelie Oksenberg Rorty will give the next installment of the President's Lecture Series at UM on Monday, March 28. Rorty will present "The Use and Abuse of Morality" at 8 p.m. in the University Theatre. Earlier that day from 3:10 to 4:30 p.m., Rorty will give a seminar titled "On the Other Hand: The Ethics of Ambivalence" in Gallagher Business Building Room 123. Both events are free and open to the public. Rorty is a lecturer in the Department of Social Medicine at Harvard University and a visiting professor in the philosophy department of Boston University. She is the author of "Mind in Action" and has edited numerous books on philosophy and ethics. "A lifetime of thinking, teaching and writing about Aristotle, Descartes, Kant and other masters has prepared her to offer a powerful lecture on the use and abuse of morality, a theme with some claim on the attention of an age that is unlikely to go down in history for its moral attainments," said UM history Professor Richard Drake, lecture series organizer. Read the Full News Release

Renowned Artist to Visit UM   The Montana Museum of Art & Culture at UM will host "Sense and Sensation: Laurie Fendrich, Paintings and Drawings 1990-2010," the first in-depth retrospective of the abstract painter, critic and professor, from March 24 to May 21. Organized by Scripps College in Claremont, Calif., the traveling exhibition will be featured in the museum's Paxson Gallery, located in UM's Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center. Fendrich will present a lecture on balancing her multiple roles as artist, critic and educator at 3 p.m. Friday, April 1, in the Masquer Theatre of the PAR/TV Center, followed by a First Friday reception for the artist from 4 to 6 p.m. in the center's lobby. The event is free and open to the public. Concurrent with the Fendrich exhibition, MMAC will present "Barry Hood: Flow" in the museum's Meloy Gallery. Hood, who creates sculptural glass and bas reliefs, is a UM alumnus who worked with noted ceramist Rudy Autio. A conversation with Barry Hood will take place at 3 p.m. Friday, May 6, in the Montana Theatre of the PAR/TV Center, followed by a First Friday reception from 4 to 6 p.m. in the center's lobby. The event is free and open to the public. Read the Full News Release

International Week Offers Several Events   Events to celebrate International Week at UM begin with the International Culture & Food Festival from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 27, in the University Center. The festival marks its 20th anniversary this year with "A 20-Year Milestone: A Journey Connecting Us All." Admission is $5 for the general public and $3 for children ages 3 to 12. International Week kicks off at noon Monday, March 28, in the University Center Atrium. UM speakers are Associate Provost for International Programs Mehrdad Kia; Foreign Student and Scholar Services Director Effie Koehn; and International Student Association President Alina Calianu. Unity Dance and Drum and members of the University's African dance class will perform. All International Week events, with the exception of Sunday's International Culture & Food Festival, are free and open to the public. Events run through Friday, April 1. A complete schedule is on the International Programs website.

Diversity Conference at UM March 25   A conference designed to bridge the gap between Native American students and UM faculty members will take place Friday, March 25, in the University Center. "Spirit of Diversity: Making Connections in the Classroom" will run from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the UC's third-floor meeting rooms. No registration is necessary, and the event is free to the campus community. The conference addresses dialogical disconnects or cultural misunderstandings that can arise between Native students and their faculty. It aims to give faculty members information to help with issues related to Native students. Information for the conference is derived from the Medicine Wheel Model, which is based on indigenous values of interconnectedness, balance and harmony. Using the perspective offers Native students and their faculty a common ground for dialogue and understanding upon which academic success can be built. The conference is a cooperative effort between the ASUM-recognized social work organization LISTEN and students in the Groups and Community Change course taught by Associate Professor Danielle Wozniak. For more information e-mail Abby Higgins at abigail.higgins@umontana.edu or Krystal Two Bulls at krystal.twobulls@umontana.edu.

Enjoy 'Crazy for You' at UM   The UM School of Theatre & Dance and School of Music will present their co-production of the crowd-pleasing musical comedy "Crazy for You" March 22-26 and March 29-April 2 in the Montana Theatre, located in the Performing Arts and Radio/Television Center. The production begins at 7:30 p.m. each day, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 26. The three-time Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of Bobby Child, a well-to-do playboy in the 1930s whose dream in life is to dance, despite protestations from his mother and girlfriend. The production is a funny, high-energy love story with dance numbers and memorable Gershwin tunes, including "I Got Rhythm," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "Embraceable You." To show appreciation for their long-standing commitment and service to the University, President Engstrom and the UM schools will provide faculty and staff one free ticket to "Crazy for You." In addition, a second ticket for a performance may be purchased for $9. To get faculty/staff tickets, present your Griz Card at the Theatre & Dance Box Office in the PAR/TV Center. Box office hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour before performances. School of Theatre & Dance

Chinese Troupe Presents Free Recital at UM   An award-winning performance troupe from the Academy of Music of Northeast Normal University will present a "Chinese Dance & Music Recital" Monday, March 21, at UM. Hosted by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at UM and the University's Confucius Institute, the event begins at 6:30 p.m. in the University Theatre. It is free and open to the public. The troupe has won many national, provincial and municipal competitions across China. The program will include a traditional Chinese music ensemble, Yangko and ethnic dances, tai chi and martial arts, and a Chinese calligraphy and painting demonstration. The recital is part of the Confucius Institute's efforts to promote greater appreciation of Chinese culture in Missoula and other Montana communities. For more information call Suhan Chen, Mansfield Center assistant director, at 243-2895 or e-mail suhan1.chen@umontana.edu.

Baldessari Artwork on View at UM   The Montana Museum of Art & Culture will host "Hands and/or Feet (Part One Hat/Gun/Bird)" by artist John Baldessari in UM's Main Hall President's Office lobby through June 10. The artwork can be viewed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except University holidays. A wonderfully representative work by Baldessari, this large-scale three-dimensional print is on loan to MMAC from an anonymous lender. The museum brings artwork by internationally known artists to campus annually as part of its Visiting Artworks program. Complementing the Baldessari print at UM are two works from MMAC's Permanent Collection by David Salle and R.B. Kitaj. All three artists are American Pop/Appropriation artists that use pre-existing imagery from popular visual culture as a way to construct images. Read the Full News Release

Summer Science Camp Registration Open    Registration is now open for "MOLLI Summer Adventures in Science: Connecting the Circle," a summer camp for children ages 6 through 12 and their grandparents hosted by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UM. The science day camp will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, July 18-19. Participants will learn from one another in scientific exploration through classroom and field experiences. The day camp offers several course choices for ages 6 to 9 and ages 9 to 12. Tuition is $100 per adult and child pair. A $20 MOLLI membership also is required for adults who wish to participate in the summer camp. The membership allows registration for lifelong learning courses offered through the institute each spring and fall at UM. A full schedule of summer camp courses available is on the MOLLI website. MOLLI

Foo Fighters Play Adams Center in May    The popular rock band Foo Fighters will perform live in concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26, in the Adams Center at UM. General admission tickets are $49.50 plus applicable fees. Tickets are available on the GrizTix website, at all GrizTix outlets and by calling 888-MONTANA. Led by frontman Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters have released six studio albums over the past decade and will release their seventh later this year. British heavy metal band Motorhead and Scottish rock trio Biffy Clyro will open for the band.

Nominate Outstanding Seniors for Awards    The University's Penetralia Chapter of Mortar Board is accepting nominations of UM seniors to be honored at the 2011 Outstanding Senior Recognition Ceremony in May. Nominations are due by Friday, March 25. The awards are presented to outstanding graduating seniors in academic areas and University-recognized organizations. One senior from each department and each organization will be honored with an engraved medallion and award certificate at the May ceremony. To qualify for the awards, students must graduate within the 2010-11 academic year, have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, and demonstrate a commitment to his or her academic discipline or student organization through professional development, leadership and service. Nominations can be submitted on the Mortar Board website. For more information, call Molly Collins, UM Mortar Board chapter adviser, at 243-5754 or e-mail molly.collins@mso.umt.edu.

Consultant Available for Retirement Planning   TIAA-CREF will offer individual counseling sessions to assist faculty and staff with retirement planning from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, March 29-30, and from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 31, at UM. Appointments are required for the sessions, which will be held in the University Center. To make an appointment, call the TIAA-CREF Phone Center at 800-732-8353 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT Monday through Friday.

President Engstrom's Office Hours   Each semester President Engstrom welcomes members of the campus community to meet with him to discuss issues and topics of their choice. Please call 243-2311 or e-mail prestalk@umontana.edu to make an appointment to meet with President Engstrom during these times. President Engstrom's scheduled office hours for spring semester are: Thursday, March 31: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, April 29: 10 a.m.-noon President Engstrom also will host an open forum at 4 p.m. Friday, April 22, in Davidson Honors College Room 119 before the 4:30 p.m. Faculty/Staff Social in the DHC Lounge.

Faculty/Staff Socials   Socials will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. most Fridays during spring semester in the Davidson Honors College Lounge. Spring semester dates and event sponsors are: March 25: International Programs April 1: College of Health Professions and Biomedical Sciences April 22: President Engstrom April 29: School of Business Administration May 6: School of Law and the Diversity Advisory Council

News About U   Curriculum and Instruction Associate Professor Sally Brewer recently attended the Northwest Council for Computer Education, where she received a plaque in recognition of her leadership as an NCCE board member, president and advocate for teacher-librarians in the Northwest. Geosciences Professor George Stanley attended the first Interdisciplinary Science Forum held March 11-12 at the University of Washington, Seattle. The event, sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and the organization's Alumni Association, allowed Stanley to interact with international colleagues and present details of research he conducted in Japan during 2004 through a JSPS fellowship. Mathematical sciences Professor Bharath Sriraman delivered the Thomas James Distinguished Professorship in Experiential Learning Candidacy Lecture titled "Transcending the Disciplinary Boundaries of Experiential Learning: The Case of Mathematics and Science" on March 14 at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Mathematical sciences Professor Thomas Tonev gave an invited talk titled "'Spectral Preservers in Commutative Banach Algebras" at the International Conference on Algebra, Topology and Topological Algebras, held Jan. 5-7 in Veracruz, Mexico. Photojournalism Adjunct Instructor Anne Medley's work on prostitution in the Democratic Republic of Congo was recently featured on Seattle-based social documentary photographer Phil Borges' website Stirring the Fire, a project addressing women's and girls' issues in the developing world. Medley taught journalism at the Université Chrétienne Bilingue du Congo in spring 2010. She wrote and shot the cover story about her experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the July 2010 issue of News Photographer magazine.

Publications   Drake, Richard. 2011. "Apostoli del meridionalismo: Crisi del liberalismo e marxismo nella Napoli post-risorgimentale." Nuova Storia Contemporanea, January-February, pp. 17-34.